Category: Blog

Thank you for praying for the peace of our city (nation)! This is an important time for us as a Church to stand up, speak up and pray up! Remember, what the enemy means for evil, God can use for good. What makes the difference is how His people respond in the moment. Remember you have authority in Jesus name to proclaim, to decree, to intercede, to bind, etc.… This prayer guide is simply a launch pad. Please invite the Holy Spirit to lead your praying at The Arch. Be aware to observe social distancing guidelines. Be an ambassador for Christ with whoever you make contact with. There may be active protests going on in the same space at the same time. Feel free to talk with protestors, and even offer to pray for them. This guide will be adjusted as the vigil continues as the Lord stirs specific things we need to pray for.

“For we are not fighting against flesh and blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12 (NLT)

Remember that people are not our enemy. We have a foe who desires to kill, steal and destroy our city. Pray that the spirit behind the rioting (i.e. Lawlessness, Anti-Christ, Fear, Rebellion, etc.) would be bound, hindered, sent away, rendered powerless, in our city. Pray a blessing on everyone who gathers to protest, and that God would expose and forbid those who come to incite riots. Matthew 18:18-20 says we can bind up or forbid evil in Jesus Name. So forbid violence, arson, graffiti and any destruction in our city. Ask Him to expose every scheme of the enemy to bring harm, and that all who plan to do harm would be exposed and constrained.

Peace

“Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” Jeremiah 33:7 (NIV)

Pray for the peace of our city. Ask God to increase His tangible presence right now. Ask Him to activate angels to minster and fight on behalf of our city. Ask Him to release the fear of God throughout the city. Ask Him to fill you with peace so you can carry it wherever you go.

Justice

“This is what the LORD says, ‘Be just and fair. Do what is right and good…’” Isaiah 56:1 (NLT)

God loves justice. Ask Him to release justice in every arena in our city. Ask Him to expose injustice in our city, and to raise up voices of truth and justice across our land. Pray that people would no longer be judged by their outward appearance, but by their character and integrity.

Government & leaders

“I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.” 1 Timothy 2:1-2 (NLT)

Ask God to give our president (Donald Trump), his administration, our governor (Brian Kemp), our mayor (Kelly Girtz), the Athens commissioners, the Police Chief (Cleveland Spruill, the Sheriff (Ira Edwards) wisdom, courage, faith and godly counsel that is 10 times better than anything in the world (Daniel 1:20). Pray for the police department and national guard to be protected and wise in their actions.

Racial healing

“For Christ Himself brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in His own body on the cross, He broke down the wall of hostility that separated us… Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups by means of His death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death.” Ephesians 2:14&16 (NLT)

Christ paid for peace and unity between races through His body on the cross. As you pray, proclaim the victory that Jesus won, through the cross for reconciliation. Jesus is the only answer to our sin problems (i.e. racism and hate) that plague our world today. Through Him the hostility can be broken. Pray for healing in our city and nation. Ask God to expose prejudice at every level in every person.

Love, understanding and compassion

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind… Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:37&39 (NIV)

Love requires us to pray for our enemies, and bless those who curse or disagree with us (Matthew 5:44). The Apostle Peter told us that “above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8 NIV). Ask God to release a grace for love, understanding and compassion for others who may not like us, nor are like us. Pray that supernatural, heaven sent love would break forth over the protesters and even those who may come to incite riots. Ask for understanding where communication is broken down and for compassion where opinions differ.

Courage for the Church to stand up, speak up and bind up

“After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.” Acts 4:31 (NIV)

Ask God to release a new boldness in His Church. For His to people to pray and to be filled with the Holy Spirit to proclaim the word of God clearly and boldly. Pray that followers of Christ across our city would not be silent, but would bring Jesus into racially tense conversations. Also, ask God for the Church to rise up and stand in authority to decree and bind up the evil forces at work behind the scenes.

Unity

“Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.” Ephesians 4:3 (NLT)

This very verse is inscribed on the base of the Spirit of Athens statue at City Hall. Pray for God to release His blessing that comes from unity over our city (Psalm 133). Ask Him to protect and strengthen the unity in our city, from the Church community through the government, and public servants. Pray that pastors and churches would stand together, honor one another out of love and respect, and walk out this crisis with great humility.

Salvation

“This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand truth.” 1 Timothy 2:3-4 (NLT)

God desires all people in Athens to be saved! Ask God to open people’s eyes and draw them to Him. Cry out for God to use this moment to bring revival, awakening and transformation in Athens, and across our nation.

Prayer of repentance

Father in Heaven, we are deeply sorry for ignoring the racism and classism that we have tolerated across the centuries up until this present time. We ask You and our community to grant us an opportunity to repent and live differently than we have. We are determined to befriend and love one another across racial lines with respect for the dignity of our common humanity. We plead in Jesus name, Amen!

Thank the Lord

As you wrap your prayer at The Arch, please thank the Lord for hearing your voice in prayer and for faithfully answering it with awesome deeds (Psalm 65:5 NLT).

There is a Prayer Walk on Saturday, June 6, from 10am to noon. We’ll meet at The Arch and prayer walk around the downtown where protestors have walked. Please join us if you’re able!

“You have never been this way before…Consecrate yourselves,for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you.”Josh 3:4-5 (NIV)

Wow! We stepped through Pentecost into a new day! We’ve never been here before. Our nation is on fire, the enemy is pulling every string possible to bring chaos, fear and destruction. First the virus, then the economy, and now the riots. But here’s what the Church needs to remember, the physical OFTEN reveals the spiritual. In other words, what we see happening in the natural realm is just an indicator of what’s going on in the spiritual realm. It is a way to see into the unseen realm. The good thing about it is that God always takes what the enemy brings as evil and turns if for kingdom advancement! This is where the Church needs to rise up, and pray like we never have before. No one else has access to the Father in heaven but us, His kids. We need to rise up, stand up, speak up and wake up! It’s time for the Church to arise! Please join us in praying this way throughout the summer. I just have a feeling that the prayer opportunities for us are just going to increase, by a lot! Please keep alert, watchful and prayerful!

Here are some amazing opportunities to join with others. We will be having both Zoom and in person gatherings this month! Some of it is still coming together. Praise God.Please don’t do ministry or life, as usual! These are the first days in a new era! And first days matter!

Athens Prayer Vigil for Peace, Healing & JusticeWednesday through Friday June 3-5 / 6am to 9pm each dayThe Arch – Corner of College Avenue and East Broad Street

We are calling Christ followers across Athens to join in praying for peace, healing and justice. The Church, God’s people, is the only mechanism that can approach the Father “with confidence” on behalf of the issues we are facing today. And it is really intense! We need God to move in our city, state and nation. Prayer is a huge key in that! As such, we are having a THREE DAY PRAYER VIGIL at The Arch, corner of East Broad Street and College Avenue, starting Wednesday (June 3) and concluding Friday (June 5). Each day will go from 6am to 9pm. You can sign up for as many ONE HOUR slots as you are able. Fill free to bring your prayer partners. Please be sure to help us cover every hour. There is no limit to how many people sign up for any given slot, though we do ask all praying people to observe the social distance guidelines (i.e. six feet, mask, etc). There will be a prayer guide available, so please provide your email address.

The pastors across Athens will be gathering to discuss our response to the racial tension our nation/state/city is walking through right now. Please join us in praying about what God would have us to do as an expression of the unity of the Body of Christ in Athens!

The Student Pastors will continue to meet on the first Thursday of the month. In June we will be doing it in person!!! Student Pastors across Athens have had to be very creative in reaching out to their students who have been “sheltered in place.” Now we are reopening these ministries. Please join us from wherever you are and pray that God would draw students back in, even more hungry that before! Be praying for all those who minister to the youth of our city, starting with the ones at your church. Pray that God would prepare them for this new season. Pray that God would protect these Students Pastors, their teams and grant them creativity and wisdom as they reconnect with their students and stir them toward Jesus and missional lives! Pray for all the students in our city as well, that this unprecedented moment in history would be the catalyst for revival in them, in our city and specifically among our Middle and High School students.

Athens Prayer WalkSaturday, June 6 / 10am to noonThe Arch – Corner of College Avenue and East Broad Street

Prior to the Covid19 shutdown, we were having monthly prayer walks. Our first one back just happens to be scheduled in the midst of protests in Athens. Please come out and pray with us as we walk where much of the protest has been happening. It is truly a conflict of kingdoms, and the power of prevailing prayer overcomes the enemy. We meet at The Arch and go from there. And of course, we ask that everyone observe the social distance guidelines. Please join us if you can!

Athens Intercessors CommunityMonday, June 8 / 7 to 9pmVia Zoom

We will be gathering once again as the Athens Intercessors Community. At this point it will be via Zoom. We want to debrief all the prayer/intercession activity, share what God has been saying to us over the past month and get a sense of where we are heading over the summer. If you’re one of the intercessors, please join us!

Pastors PrayerWednesday, June 10 / 9 to 10amTBD

This month the pastors are coming back together in person to pray for and with each other! Please use this opportunity to pray for the pastors in our city, starting with your own! Pray that God would give them extraordinary wisdom, creativity and boldness as they lead their congregations through this exciting yet challenging new season of reopening. Pray that God would empower them to lead well, and for your church to be an instrument of life and help to the community. Ask God to guard and even deepen the unity He has been establishing over the past 10 years in our city. In the midst of all the weight that is currently on them, ask God to abundantly bless, refresh, encourage, protect and provide for your pastor, their marriage and their family. Ask God to meet each of these lead shepherds across Athens right where they are, and give them all that it takes to stay connected to God and run strongly throughout this battle. Ask God to use these pastors as a voice in our city!

Groups Pastors PrayerWednesday, June 17 / 9:30 to 10:30amTBD

People are longing for community! New types of groups have formed, and soon groups will be able to meet in person again. New and old types of groups will be the norm in this new season. Pray that God would continue to lead the Groups Pastors to create even more new, effective ways to stay connected. We continue our monthly Groups Pastor in May via Zoom. Please pray for those who lead the groups ministries in our city. They need wisdom and creativity. Pray that God would prepare them for the days ahead. Pray for the groups’ leaders to lead well in these new formats. May God give each of these leaders a grace to rise up for the occasion. Pray for people in the groups to be willing to dive into the new formats as well as re-engage around in person groups, to share their lives and be open to grow. Pray that God would raise up more group leaders for this new season as we come out of our period of social distancing. Ask God to protect and expand this vital ministry in our city. Ask Him for heaven to come down upon every group that meets in Jesus’ Name in Athens!

Executive Pastors PrayerThursday, June 18 / 9 to 10amTBD

In June, the leaders who “run” churches across Athens will be coming together to share and pray with and for one another. These leaders are making decisions in an arena no one has ever walked in before. Please pray for the executive / administrative pastor (or those who do that role) in your church and the others who carry this load in the churches across our city. They need wisdom, creativity and faith. This is very a crucial ministry at such an important time as this! Pray that God would give them supernatural joy as they keep the systems operating and create new ones for Kingdom growth in Athens. Pray that God would increase His presence and favor in their lives and homes. Pray that God would give them what they need as the Church emerges in this season.

Our monthly M.E./Israel prayer meeting is back in person and Friday June 26. This is an opportunity to pray for Israel and the Middle East in such an important time as this! We will be observing the reopening guidelines (i.e. masks and distancing).

Ongoing and inspirational…

Athens Daily Prayer TextsOngoingAll across Athens area

Every morning at 8am Daily Prayer Texts are delivered to cell phones across Athens and beyond. They are also posted each day at noon on the APN Facebook page. If you would like to receive these prayer focuses each day, please text @athenspray to 81010. This is a simply amazing way to start your day and to stand in unified, and focused prayer with others from across our city for our city!

For more (and up to date) stuff…Every day we post something on the APN Facebook page. Usually it is more than once. These posts include prayer opportunities, prayer points, prayer inspirations and the Daily Prayer Text. It is definitely worth checking out daily to help stay connected with what God is doing in our city, especially in such a time as this!

Between the day of Jesus’ ascension and Pentecost, Jesus’ followers waited, watched and prayed in obedience for the promised Holy Spirit. Then on the day of Pentecost all the followers of Christ were together in one place and they heard the roar of a mighty wind from heaven. Suddenly there was what seemed like flames of fire lighting on everyone, they all were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues (Acts 2:1-2).

Over the ten days of the Daniel Fast, we are crying out for God to prepare us for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Remember this fast is simply simplifying your diet (i.e. no meat, no desserts, no alcohol, no TV, etc…). Please use this prayer guide as a starting point to launch into powerful, Spirit-led prayer! Meditate on the scriptures in it and allow God to speak to you through them. As there are ten topics, feel free to focus on one topic and saturate it each day OR fly over the whole thing every day and scatter your prayer bombs all over the place, OR do something in between. Please take time each day to listen to what the Lord is saying to you, even journal it. The priority right now is for you to get your heart, your home and your church ready for a fresh outpouring. Ask Him to do whatever it takes in you, your family and church to be ready. Invite the Holy Spirit to fill you and meet you as you fast and pray these ten days! Ask God for fresh revelation of who He is and what He says about you. Since we really don’t know what to pray, invite the Holy Spirit to help you (Romans 8:26-27). And pray expectantly! Come to Jesus with a hungry heart, eager for Him to feed you, right where you are at. Come hungery for truth, for light, for the word and for God! And He will do just that! After all, Jesus said “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6 NIV).

Prayer topics…

Humility

“The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. You will not despise a broken and humbled heart, God.” Psalm 51:17 (CSB)

“I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at My word.” Isaiah 66:2b (NLT)

“Blessed are the humble, for they will inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5 (CSB)

“And He gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ … Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up in honor.” James 4:6 & 10 (NLT)

God hates, opposes, resists pride! Those are pretty strong words! But He is attracted to and releases favor, even blessing to the humble. Want more of God? Humble yourself before Him! Crazy thing is, we often can’t even see the pride in our own life that is hindering God’s blessing to us. Ask God to show you any trace of pride, arrogance or false humility. Be willing to ask those closest to you if they see it in you. Be willing to be decisive and deal with it quickly and with whomever you need to confess it to!

It’s from the place of humility we can step into absolute surrender and holiness. Humility keeps us from being offended, because the root of offense is entitlement and the humble person has crucified any sense of deserving anything! Ask God to show you places in your heart where you have not surrendered to Him, or where you have any sense of offense, or entitlement. Respond as the Lord shows you!

Now ask God to expose pride, every trace of it, in your church and across our city. Pray for humble hearts around our city, that are ready to receive what the Lord is bringing.

Holiness

“But if we confess our sins to him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” 1 John 1:9 (NIV)

“If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But God did listen! He paid attention to my prayer.” Psalm 66:18-19 (NLT)

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Matthew 5:8 (NIV)

God desires us to be pure vessels. He looks for Holy vessels to fill. None of us would drink water if we knew it contained even a small percent of excrement! But we tolerate much worse defilement in our hearts and still expect the Holy Spirit to be happy there. Ask the Lord to show you your sin, not just the biggies, but everything that displeases Him and defiles you! This can include things like pornography, addictions, lust, impure thoughts, etc… But it is as much about pride, unforgiveness, greed, selfishness, ambition, disbelief, etc… Ask God to make your heart, your home and your church holy! If God prompts you with something, don’t argue with Him. Remember He sets the standard. Confess the sin that He shows you for what it is, a violation of His law. Ask Him to cleanse you of it, and then thank Him for His forgiveness and His washing you of all your filthiness. Ask Him to cleanse your home. If you have things that are blatantly, or subtly unholy, get rid of it. Ask God to reveal unholy things in your church, and for the leadership to have courage to address it decisively.

Idolatry

“Who may climb the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in His Holy place? Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies.” Psalm 24:3-4 (NLT)

When we think of idols we conjure up manmade figures that people bow down and worship. Yes, those are idols. But there are many more ways that we can have idols in our hearts and home, and we may not even know it! Recently, we found some items that were used in Japanese worship. They were family heirlooms, something passed on through several generations. Something we were familiar with, and really didn’t even see any more. But God convicted us of these idols and they were summarily removed, destroyed and repented of. An idol may not have actually been used in worship, well at least not functionally. An idol is anything we put before the Lord and are thus an offense to Him. The first two commandments are all about not putting anything above God, but to love Him with all your heart. It can be money, jobs, relationships, possessions, security, reputation, your kids, status, etc. Ask the Lord to show you any idols in your heart, or home. And when He does, deal with it decisively. Usually we have some sort of emotional connection to the idol. So, if you are reacting strongly to destroying this thing in your life or home, it is probably an indicator that it does have an improper place.

Ask Him to reveal any idols in your church. These can simply be man’s traditions that have taken a higher place than God desires. These are being exposed through this Covid19 pandemic and all the carnage that is surrounding it! May God show us all the idols that have embedded themselves in our lives.

As these idols are removed, ask God to fill the space that they had once occupied.

Watchmen

“I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give Him no rest till He establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth.” Isaiah 62:6-7 (NIV)

“I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before Me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.” Ezekiel 22:30 (NIV)

“So, He declared He would destroy them. But Moses, His chosen one, stepped between the Lord and the people. He begged Him to turn from His anger and not destroy them.” Psalm 106:23 (NLT)

“Lord, I have heard of Your fame; I stand in awe of Your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day,in our time make them known;in wrath remember mercy.” Habakkuk 3:2 (NIV)

Throughout history, God has looked for intercessors to stand before Him crying mercy in a day when His wrath was due. Our nation has turned its back on God and His ways. And sadly, the message of the church and the authority of the word of God has been watered down. This is an hour in history when God is looking for people who will cry out to Him relentlessly, passionately and unitedly, until He turns and moves powerfully in our land. The Holy Spirit is calling praying people to build up the wall and take their position on it as watchmen! Please pray that this invitation from God would be clearly heard across our city, and that praying people would respond and step into a new level of fervent 24/7 prayer. Ask the Lord if you are meant to be one of them! And today cry out for God’s mercy in the church and our city!!!

Truth

“Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.” Psalm 51:6 (ESV)

“Our courts oppose the righteous, and justice is nowhere to be found. Truth stumbles in the streets, and honesty has been outlawed. Yes, truth is gone, and anyone who renounces evil is attacked. The Lord looked and was displeased to find there was no justice.” Isaiah 59:14-15 (NLT)

“Jesus answered: ‘Watch out that no one deceives you.’” Matthew 24:4 (NIV)

“You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32 (CSB)

A meaning for deception is to be thrown off course. There is so much garbage going on right now, no one knows what to believe! It is a huge distraction! People need the truth, and as Jesus said, it’s the truth that will set us free. Even our courts have moved away from justice based on truth. Right now, up is down, right is wrong, well at least it depends who you’re talking with. There are things we have been told by “trustworthy people” that are not true! Be praying that God would expose falsehood, deceptions and distractions in your life, and in your church. Repent of any places where you have not been completely truthful (i.e. exaggerating)! Ask God to give you the faith to stand up for truth. Ask God to give you, your pastor and others in your church discernment to distinguish truth and error, right from wrong, what’s of God and what’s not.

Ask God to stir a hunger for truth in your heart, your home, your church and across our city.

Shaking for awakening

“At that time His voice shook the earth, but now He has promised, ‘Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.’ The words ‘once more’ indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ‘God is a consuming fire.’” Hebrews 12:26-28 (NIV)

“After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.” Acts 4:31 (NIV)

“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (NIV)

“Everything exposed by the light is made visible, for what makes everything visible is light. Therefore, it is said: Get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Ephesians 5:13-14 (CSB)

During this season everything that can be shaken is being shaken. Ask God to use this shaking in your life to reveal the things that have been hidden, things that need to be brought into the light, things that have influenced you from deep within for way too long. Invite God’s consuming fire to burn these things away. Ask God to empty you of worthless things so He can fill you with more of Him!

Also, be praying that hidden strongholds, lies and pretensions would be exposed in your heart, your home and in your church. Ask Him to do whatever needs to be done to be ready for the Holy Spirit to come and fill His body once again. Ask God to prepare and to fill every believer in your church with the Holy Spirit and send them out to witness boldly!

Ask God to use this shaking across our city to awaken hearts that have slumbered. Ask God to prepare hearts for what He is about to do, both in the church and across our city.

Our Children

“But the Lord says, ‘The captives of warriors will be released, and the plunder of tyrants will be retrieved. For I will fight those who fight you, and I will save your children.’” Isaiah 49:25 (NLT)

“You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject Me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love Me and obey My commands.” Exodus 20:5-6 (NLT)

“When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’ Luke 15:17-19 (NLT)

“He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.” Malachi 4:6 (NIV)

As we are praying for God to prepare our hearts and homes for Him, let’s be crying out for God to move among our children. Whether they are in the next room, or on the other side of the world, ask God to be stirring, shaking and revealing Himself to them! His promise is to fight on behalf of those who love Him and He will save our children. Remind Him of this promise and ask Him to do it now. Ask God to reveal Himself to any prodigal children you may have, or know of. Ask Him to prepare them for what He is about to do. Cry out that they would not miss out on it!!! Ask God to cause things in their world to draw their attention to Him and to their home. Ask God to also move among the kids in homes right now where they are not loved and cherished but are abused and used. Ask God to turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children and the children back to their fathers!

Also, be praying that toddlers through teenagers would experience this outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and become vehicles of awakening in their circles! Ask God to prepare your kids and all the children you know to receive His blessing, and to become vessels for His glory!

Realize that your sin impacts your children, as has your parents (and their parents…) sin has impacted you! Confess your sin. Break the sinful patterns. Confess generational sin, things that have been passed on to you from your parents. Proclaim them broken off of your children!

Pastors

“And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.” Psalm 78:72 (NIV)

“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is My word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:10-11 (NIV)

“Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us that God may open a door to us for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains, so that I may make it known as I should.” Colossians 4:2-4 CSB

“Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.” Ephesians 6:19-20 NIV

Pray for your pastor to hunger for the word, and to dig into it with a new zeal and that out of that to preach the full gospel with passion and courage. During these 10 days, ask God to break any chains off that hinder your pastor from preaching boldly and freely. Ask God to prepare your pastor to be ready to preach more frequently across Athens as more opportunities to bring the gospel open up. Pray that when your pastor preaches on Pentecost, rivers of living water would flow through him/her. Pray that your church would be prepared for a fired up, freshly, Spirit-empowered preacher in your pulpit! Ask God to increase their anointing, and that His word would not return void!

Ask God to give your pastor purity, integrity and skillful hands. Your pastor has never been here before (Joshua 3:4), and right now is needing to draw on God’s wisdom in ways they have never done before. Pray that God would grant them wisdom and creativity 10 times greater than that of the world (Daniel 1:20). That God would grant them rest and stamina. That they would be able to trust the LORD with all their hearts and not lean on their own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6). Ask God to prepare them for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit and whatever the Lord releases on Pentecost! Pray that God would prepare your pastor (physically, emotionally and spiritually) to lead with skillful hands and integrity of heart in this new season of revival.

Outpouring

“So, if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.” Luke 11:13 (NLT)

“Once when He was eating with them, He commanded them, ‘Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift He promised, as I told you before. John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’” Acts 1:4-5 (NLT)

“Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and He will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah.” Acts 3:19-20 (NLT)

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.” John 14:12 (NLT)

“For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News?” 1 Peter 4:7 (NLT)

“Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?” Luke 18:8 (ESV)

“God gives the Spirit without limit.” John 3:34b (NIV)

Thank the Lord for the promised coming outpouring of the Holy Spirit. God promised His Holy Spirit to all His children who ask of Him. Ask Him passionately, fervently, intensely and wholeheartedly for more of the Holy Spirit! Cry out for this outpouring upon you, your home and your church. Prayerfully watch and wait for Him to do something amazing among us at Pentecost. Please don’t limit Him by your expectations of what you think this outpouring should look like. Ask Him to grant you brand new eyes to see what He does in this season! Again, ask Him if there is any more sin He would like you to confess. If so, confess it so that you would not miss the coming times of refreshment. This coming great move of God is all about preparing for Christ’s return. We are going to need faith and stamina to finish the work He has laid before us. Cry out for Him to bring His judgement and correction upon His people so that we are ready for Him. Ask God to release a new level of faith within you, your church and the churches across Athens for the days ahead. Ask God to prepare you to receive His Spirit without limit!!!

Ears to hear what God is saying

“Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing His plan to his servants the prophets.” Amos 3:7 (NIV)

“Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what He is saying to the churches.” Revelation 2:7a (NLT)

“Whoever belongs to God hears what God says.” John 8:47a

“My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.” John 10:27 (NLT)

There is much chatter right now that God is about to do something amazing in our time. It is not an issue of whether God speaks or not. The Bible is very clear, He speaks! The issue is, are we listening. God is speaking quite loudly right now, and we all need ears to hear what He is saying to us individually, to our church and to the churches across our city. The psalmist says that we labor in vain if we build where God is not building (Psalm 127:1). Jesus said He only does what He sees the Father doing. We need eyes to see what He is doing, and ears to hear what He is saying, and faith to believe it and courage to join Him in it! Ask God to give you ears to hear and eyes to see how He is moving right now. Ask Him for faith to believe it and courage to act on it. Pray this same way for your church and the churches across Athens! Thank Him for the fact that He is not silent!

Thanksgiving

It is always good to praise and thank the Lord! Begin and end your prayer sessions with thanksgiving. Carry a heart of thanksgiving throughout the ten days. Thank Him for hearing you. Thank Him for allowing you to be alive for such a time as this. Thank Him for what He is about to do. And thank Him for faithfully answering your prayers with awesomeness (Psalm 65:5a NLT).

Thank you for joining us in preparation for Pentecost 2020. We are believing that God is stirring the body of Christ with much “spiritual chatter” and that Pentecost 2020 is quite significant! We are on the eve of a new era. We are crossing over into a place we have never been. This 24-hour prayer watch is the beginning of our intentional and intensive preparations this month as we cry out for God to prepare our hearts, homes and church for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit! Please use this prayer guide as a launch pad for wherever the Spirit would lead you. The prayer points are specific thing various intercessors in our city have been praying and discerning.

Ready and WaitingLuke 24:44-53

Jesus, resurrected, appeared to the disciples to remind them He must fulfill the words of the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms. Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures and commissioned them to proclaim repentance and receive the promise of power (the Holy Spirit). As we pray ask God to reveal Himself, give us grace and conviction to repent, and power to align with His Truth and Promises wholeheartedly.

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13

Reveal

Ask God to open our minds and convict our hearts in each area we are not yet fully surrendered to Him. Write down anything He reveals to you, and use that with the following to direct prayers of repentance and realignment.

“He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings utter darkness into the light.” Job 12:22

Idols
In our homes and our hearts, let’s ask God to reveal idols that hold our attention or affection. Anything that steals our passion and affection making us idle or numb toward God in any way must be destroyed.

Independence, Information, Sexuality, Working for God, Football, Success, Routine, Family Heirlooms, News, Status, Promotion, Standards set by anyone other than God, Scrapbooks, Gifts, anything that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and the Lordship of Jesus Christ must be surrendered that Christ alone may be seated on the throne of our lives (2 Corinthians 10:5).

Priorities
Let us seek God’s divine order in the structure of our lives and thinking. Where we have set our own priorities, ask for revelation and a divine re-ordering. Even in practical areas of decision making and time management, let’s ask God to re-set our thinking in alignment with His. (Matt 6:33)

Pride
Seeking revival, “He must become greater, I must become less” (John 3:30). Let us ask God to reveal and rid us of pride, that we may empty ourselves before God to allow Him our whole hearts and our whole lives. Ask for our whole city to be rid of self and filled with the Holy Spirit.

Unbelief
Ask God to reveal areas of doubt or unbelief in our hearts. Ask Him to shine light into every dark or shadowed place that we may receive faith to stand His ground (Mark 9:24, James 1:6, Ephesians 5:13, 6:13). Ask for grace to trust Him in every area we are not to know times fixed by the Father (Acts 1:7). Jesus spoke peace to the disciples in the waiting (John 14:27, John 20:26) ask God to renew our peace in Christ Jesus as we wait in faith and trust.

Shame
Ask God to expose areas of shame. Where we allow accusation to deny us access to God, ask God to reveal the power of Jesus’s blood. Ask God to speak affirmation and faith into us that we may continue in Him instead of running or attempting to measure up in our own strength (1John 2:28).

Repent

2 Chronicles 6:38-40, Numbers 14:17-24
In all areas God has revealed, let us repent for ourselves and our churches and city.

Ask for forgiveness – as specifically as you can, ask God to cleanse us with hyssop (Psalm 51:7) and separate us from this sin as far as east is from west (Psalm 103:12).

Forgive those who have sinned against us specifically in these areas be it personally or against the church or city (Matthew 6:14-15, Romans 2:1).

Break Agreement with any lie or question that sets itself up against what we know about God (2 Cor 10:5) that we may agree with the Truth (John 8:32).

Realign

Many have been hearing about a chiropractic adjustment for the Church, a need to realign the Body to be more fully in-sync with God as we move into a greater outpouring of His Spirit.

Let’s ask God to realign every joint within the Body of Christ- that each part would work in greater unity, with greater ease, and each pulling its proper weight, fully releasing that which should be pulled by another. (Ephesians 4:16, 1 Corinthians 12:23-26)

Let’s ask God to recalibrate our thinking in full alignment and agreement with His especially in regard to our identity (Colossians 2:1-10). Pray for a spirit of sonship to fully destroy the orphan spirit as the heart of the Father is revealed (Galatians 4:6). Ask for God’s grace to cover us as “we put on the new self, created to be like God in righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:17-24).

Ask God to heal and restore our trust in authority, forgiving our rebellion. In any area of pain, abuse, deception, mistrust or betrayal, ask God to come and restore the years the locusts/plagues have eaten (Joel 2:25). Ask for families, classrooms, congregations, offices, friend groups to experience the safety of God’s authority, that we may willingly submit to those God places above us trusting Him to lead us (Romans 13:1).

Forerunners

As Intercessors, we are forerunners who run before proclaiming and preparing the way for God as He graciously moves. Take a few moments to look at what God has been doing in you over the last few weeks and thank Him because what you have been doing matters. Ask God to increase the scale of that work among us, to make widespread the work to which we are already witnesses. Ask in great faith that God will do that very work in others again and again. (2 Corinthians 1:20)

To go before we must be willing to do the work first, to fight before others even know there is a fight. Let us ask for humility and compassion to clothe and protect intercessors and prophets in these days (1 Peter 5:5). Ask God to root us in love and humility so that we do not become a stumbling block of judgement or pride in our city. (Leviticus 19:14, Ezekiel 3:20, Romans 14:13).

As we seek to prepare the way in our city, let us ask God to prepare the way in the Spirit. Ask God to send angels to weed out sin (Matthew 13:41), shift the atmosphere releasing hope and announcing His coming in our city.

Increased Revelation

“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things that you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3

As we have responded to God revealing areas in need of repentance and realignment, let us ask Him to reveal life, love, and glory. Ask God to speak and reveal Himself (John 6:60-63).

Revelation of the Lamb

Jesus completely fulfilled the law of sacrifice as He took our sins on the cross. Ask God to reveal the fullness of Christ’s sacrifice and the power of His authority as the Lamb of God (Genesis 22, Leviticus 16, Matthew 27).

Jesus stands in Revelation as the only one worthy to open the scrolls and release the will of God on the earth. Let’s ask God to reveal Jesus as the worthy lamb who stands in Righteousness (Revelation 5).

Revelation of the Father

Jesus spent much of His ministry revealing the Father to a people who knew Him primarily as King. Let’s ask Jesus to do this work of revealing the Father to each of us, restoring our hearts in adoption, belonging and inheritance (Rom 8:23).

Prepare the Body for the Holy Spirit

The apostles had left their lives behind, spent much time with Christ, trusted His Word and received His commission but sat waiting for His Spirit to clothe them with power. Let’s ask God to do the work in the Body that remains to ready us for Him.

Ask God to cleanse us through repentance that the Body would experience the reality of new life in Christ. Ask for a greater death to self, deeper repentance, cleansing of unrighteousness, surrender, time with Jesus, renewed trust in His Word, agreement with His calling, etc.

Ask God to anoint us for new Life and Living, baptizing us in the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-5, 2:37-39).

In Acts 2, as the Believers were gathered on the day of Pentecost, “they were ALL filled with the Holy Spirit, (2:4)” Ask God to pour forth His Spirit on all mankind – in every sector of our city – families, churches, offices, all ages, all races that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Acts 2:17-21).

Ask God to stir in every heart a continual devotion to the apostles teaching, the breaking of bread, and to prayer, that we will all live in awe seeing many wonders and signs taking place (Acts 2:42-47).

Ask God to put in place the shepherds (pastors, teachers, leaders) in our city who will receive His Spirit and Power and follow His leadership leaving not one sheep without a shepherd (Acts 1:20-26, Numbers 27:16-17). Ask God to give each shepherd dreams, visions, and people who will help them discover and discern the will of God for their flock. Ask for greater trust and unity among pastors and intercessors, prophets and teachers.

Ask God to design and inspire systems (discipleship, disciplines, interpersonal follow-up, online platforms, new ideas) that will allow the Body to grow and sustain abundant fruit and affection for Jesus. Ask God for nets that will not tear. (Luke 5:6)

Ready the Body for Greater Anointing

Thank God for His generosity (Proverbs 3:9-10, James 1:5&17). He is a giver of good gifts (Luke 11:13).

Ask God to pour out the anointing necessary for obedience and faithfulness throughout the Body – that every person of every age will experience the supernatural power of God as they walk in obedience and faithfulness to His Word and his gifts (Deuteronomy 5:33).

Ask God to reveal people in every gift and sphere of influence that the Body may walk in greater maturity and unity mentoring and developing one another as the family of God increases (Ephesians 4:11-16).

Awaken the Remnant, the Bride

Ask God to pour out His grace choosing for Himself a remnant who will stand as a testimony of God’s faithfulness and power (Romans 11:5-6)

Ask God to stir our hearts with longing for the Bridegroom, Jesus. Ask God to awaken all who slumber (Matthew 25:7), to clothe us in righteousness (Revelation 19:8), and to unite our hearts and voices with the Spirit (Revelation 22:17).

Let us ask that all who have been waiting and listening for the bridegroom will be filled with joy in His coming. Ask God to complete our joy as we wait and listen for Jesus. (John 3:29)

Ask God to awaken confidence in the Bride that she has favor and authority before Him. Ask God to strengthen the Bride that she may stand firm appealing to the heart of Heaven with compassion for our city (Esther 4:8).

Expectantly Waiting

Like a pregnant woman cannot rush the life promised within her, God will not rush revival. As we close, let us ask God to grant us the grace to wait in faith (Psalm 46:10, Luke 18:1,7-8, 2 Peter 3:9).

Pray over our other preparation activities this month

We are inviting Followers of Christ to join us in a Daniel Fast from May 21 to 30. More details shortly!

We are calling the Citywide Church in Athens to a 24-Hour Pre-Pentecost Watch on the eve of Pentecost, starting Friday May 29 at 7pm and concluding Saturday May 30 at 7pm. Pentecost is May 31. To sign up for a ONE HOUR slot go to… https://www.slottr.com/sheets/18251114

Thanksgiving

As you wrap up your time, please be sure to thank God for hearing and answering your prayers with awesome deeds (Psalm 65:5 NLT). Feel free to continue to pray these topics through this month and we prepare for what God is about to reveal and do among us! Thank you for investing in prayer at such a time as this! It really does make a difference!

Be listening to what the Spirit is saying to the Church throughout this month!

Thank you for joining us in preparation for Pentecost 2020. We are believing that God is stirring the body of Christ with much “spiritual chatter” and that Pentecost 2020 is quite significant! We are on the eve of a new era. We are crossing over into a place we have never been. This 24-hour prayer watch follows several weeks of intentional and intensive preparations and intercession as we cry out for God to prepare our hearts, homes (including your marriage and children) and church for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit! Please use this prayer guide as a launch pad for wherever the Spirit would lead you. The prayer points are specific things various intercessors in Athens have been discerning and praying.

By the way, you can do more than one slot and there are no limit on how many people can do any given slot. During your time, you can join up with others via FaceTime or Zoom, or in person, or simply pray during the hour on your own. For more info or to sign up for one or more ONE HOUR slots please go to https://www.slottr.com/sheets/18251114.

Ready and Waiting
Luke 24:44-53

The resurrected Jesus appeared to the disciples and reminded them He must fulfill the words of the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms. Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures and commissioned them to proclaim repentance and receive the promise of power (the Holy Spirit). As we pray ask God to reveal Himself, give us grace and conviction to repent, and power to align with His Truth and Promises wholeheartedly.

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13

Reveal

“He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings utter darkness into the light.” Job 12:22

Ask God to open our minds and convict our hearts in each area we are not yet fully surrendered to Him. Write down anything He reveals to you, and use that with the following to direct prayers of repentance and realignment.

Idols
In our homes and our hearts, let’s ask God to reveal idols that hold our attention or affection. Anything that steals our passion, our attention and/or our affection, making us idle or numb toward God in any way must be destroyed.

Independence, information, sexuality, working for God, football, success, routine, family heirlooms, news, status, promotion, standards set by anyone other than God, scrapbooks, gifts, anything that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and the Lordship of Jesus Christ must be surrendered that Christ alone may be seated on the throne of our lives (2 Corinthians 10:5).

Priorities
Let us seek God’s divine order in the structure of our lives and thinking. Where we have set our own priorities, ask for revelation and a divine re-ordering. Even in practical areas of decision making and time management, let’s ask God to re-set our thinking in alignment with His (Matthew 6:33).

Pride
Seeking revival, “He must become greater, I must become less” (John 3:30). Let us ask God to reveal and rid us of pride, that we may empty ourselves before God to allow Him our whole hearts and our whole lives. Ask for our whole city to be rid of self and filled with the Holy Spirit.

Unbelief
Ask God to reveal areas of doubt or unbelief in our hearts. Ask Him to shine light into every dark or shadowed place that we may receive faith to stand His ground (Mark 9:24, James 1:6, Ephesians 5:13, 6:13). Ask for grace to trust Him in every area that we are not to know times fixed by the Father (Acts 1:7). Jesus spoke peace to the disciples in the waiting (John 14:27, John 20:26), so ask God to renew our peace in Christ Jesus as we wait in faith and trust.

Shame
Ask God to expose areas of shame. Where we allow accusation to deny us access to God, ask God to reveal the power of Jesus’ blood. Ask God to speak affirmation and faith into us that we may continue in Him instead of running or attempting to measure up in our own strength (1 John 2:28).

Repent2 Chronicles 6:38-40, Numbers 14:17-24

In all areas God has revealed, let us repent, or turn away from sin seeking forgiveness and restoration for ourselves, our churches and city.

Ask for forgiveness – as specifically as you can, ask God to cleanse us (Psalm 51:7) and separate us from this sin as far as east is from west (Psalm 103:12).

Forgive those who have sinned against us specifically in these areas be it personally or against the church or city (Matthew 6:14-15, Romans 2:1).

Break agreement with any lie or question that sets itself up against what we know about God (2 Corinthians 10:5) that we may agree with the Truth (John 8:32).

Realign

Many have been hearing about a chiropractic adjustment for the Church, a need to realign the Body to be more fully in-sync with God as we move into a greater outpouring of His Spirit.

Let’s ask God to realign every joint within the Body of Christ; that each part would work in greater unity, with greater ease, and each pulling its proper weight, fully releasing that which should be pulled by another. (Ephesians 4:16, 1 Corinthians 12:23-26)

Let’s ask God to recalibrate our thinking in full alignment and agreement with His, especially in regard to our identity (Colossians 2:1-10). Pray for a spirit of sonship to fully destroy the orphan spirit as the heart of the Father is revealed (Galatians 4:6). Ask for God’s grace to cover us as “we put on the new self, created to be like God in righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:17-24).

Ask God to heal and restore our trust in authority, forgiving our rebellion. In any area of pain, abuse, deception, mistrust or betrayal… ask God to come and restore the years the locusts/plagues have eaten (Joel 2:25). Ask for families, classrooms, congregations, offices, friend groups to experience the safety of God’s authority, that we may willingly submit to those who God places above us, trusting Him to lead us (Romans 13:1).

Awaken our senses

Ask God to expose where we have become numb or unaware, where our senses have grown accustomed and have fallen asleep. Ask God to awaken our senses. Whether we have become calloused and need softening, have become closed and need re-opening, or have been blinded and need to see, ask God to help us sense clearly what is good and what is evil, that we may live more fully aligned with the Holy One (Isaiah 5:20).

Jesus and Paul quote Isaiah to declare the importance of our senses being turned toward God, “You will keep on hearing, but will not understand, you will keep on seeing but will not perceive; for the heart of this people has become dull, with their ears they scarcely hear and they have closed their eyes, otherwise they would see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and return, and I would heal them.” (Isaiah 6:10, Matthew 13:15, John 12:40, Acts 28:27)

Ask God to open our eyes that we would see and perceive what the Spirit is saying. Ask specifically for God to restore sight to areas we have been blind, restore vision where it has been lost, and restore those who see in the Spirit (seers) as a gift that has been rejected.

Ask God to open our ears that we would hear and understand what the Spirit is saying. Ask God to restore hearing to the deaf, any areas we have ignored wisdom, truth, conviction or concern, let us begin to hear again. Ask God to restore the gifts of listening in both the prophetic giftings (wisdom, knowledge, direction) and in compassionate relationship (counseling, discipleship, friendship, parenting etc.).

Ask God to restore spiritual life in all our senses. He created us fully to experience Him fully, with each of our five senses. Ask Him to heal areas we have closed senses off to Him because of lust, sin, immaturity, pain, or ignorance of their importance. Ask God to awaken seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, and touch for the Kingdom of God.

Increased Revelation

“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things that you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3 (NIV)

Ask with boldness and faith for God to speak to us things we cannot otherwise know; for mysteries of faith, contentment in chaos, certainty in uncertain times, the reality of Heaven and Hell, hope in the face of fear. Ask for increased revelation (things made known to us by God) in our spheres of influence, such as how God may be moving or reworking, how He may be speaking or stirring. In business, ministry, family rearing, schoolwork, relationships, God wants us to listen as He reveals right things thus revealing Himself (Proverbs 8:6, John 13:19).

Reveal the Reality of Hell

Ask God to make us keenly aware of the reality of the spiritual realm, such as of heaven, hell, the consequences and weight of sin, the power and strength of Christ’s resurrection, and the absolute and unwavering standard of righteousness with which Christ will judge the earth.

“The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.” Matthew 13:41-43

Reveal the Son

Jesus completely fulfilled the law of sacrifice as He took our sins on the cross. Ask God to reveal the fullness of Christ’s sacrifice and the power of His authority as the Lamb of God (Genesis 22, Leviticus 16, Matthew 27).

“Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood.” Revelation 1:5

Ask God to make Jesus known in our city; that everyone would come to knowledge of Jesus as the Son of God and Righteous Savior of men (1 Timothy 2:4).

Jesus stands in the Book of Revelation as the only one worthy to open the scrolls and release the will of God on the earth. Let’s ask God to reveal Jesus as the worthy lamb who stands in Righteousness (Revelation 5).

“’I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8

Ask God to make real in our hearts and our lives the imminent return of Christ, in order for us to trust that He is coming again and that every word yet to be fulfilled in the Bible is coming to its fulfillment.

Reveal the Father

Jesus spent much of His ministry revealing the Father to a people who knew Him primarily as King and Judge. Let’s ask Jesus to do this work of revealing the Father to each of us, restoring our hearts in adoption, belonging and inheritance (Romans 8:23).

Prepare the Body for the Holy Spirit

The apostles had left their lives behind, spent much time with Christ, trusted His Word and received His commission but sat waiting for His Spirit to clothe them with power. Let’s ask God to do the work in the Body that remains to ready us for Him.

Ask God to cleanse us through repentance that the Body would experience the reality of new life in Christ. Ask for a greater death to self, increased conviction, deeper repentance, cleansing of unrighteousness, surrender, time with Jesus, renewed trust in His Word, agreement with His calling, etc.

Ask God to anoint us/set us apart for new Life and Living, baptizing us in the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-5, 2:37-39).

In Acts 2, as the Believers were gathered on the day of Pentecost, “they were ALL filled with the Holy Spirit” (2:4). Ask God to pour forth His Spirit on all mankind, so that in every sector of our city – families, churches, offices, all ages, all races – that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Acts 2:17-21).

Ask God to stir in every heart a continual devotion to the apostles teaching, the breaking of bread, and to prayer, that we will all live in awe seeing many wonders and signs taking place (Acts 2:42-47).

Ready for Re-Gathering

Pastors

Ask God to speak to each pastor in Athens the specific plans he/she needs for re-opening their doors and services in full agreement with God. Let’s ask for boldness to stand firm in obedience to God above critique, fear, or uncertainty.

Thank God for your pastor, who “diligently labors among you, and has charge over you in the Lord.” Ask that he/she would admonish, encourage, help, rejoice, pray and give thanks. Ask specifically that pastors would not quench the spirit but examine everything carefully, holding fast to that which is good and abstaining from every form of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:12-25).

We are facing a new time in church history where even those protected by government laws are unable to gather. Just as the first church did, our pastors are having to lead people in uncharted waters holding fast only to what is true (the Gospel) and not on their training. Ask God to strengthen and assure our leaders as they rely on the Holy Spirit over their training. Ask for leaders’ hearts to be freshly tuned to hear God’s voice and follow His leadership.

Contend, or continue in prayer for your pastor to preach with an increased clarity, authority, anointing and emphasis on the Gospel and the cross.

People

As different churches take different approaches for re-opening, let us take a stand of grace, unity, honor and trust. Take some time here to repent, asking God to forgive you for judging the way others have handled guidelines or emotions during the pandemic. Ask God to lead you in forgiving others who may have overstepped or violated your boundaries (or opinions) during this time, or those who have stepped away because you violated theirs. Ask God for grace to abound in this season!

Ask God to awaken a deep reverence for Him throughout our city. Ask God for fear of the Lord to overtake Athens, that we may hate sin, love righteousness, be filled with compassion, live in security and intimacy with God (Exodus 20:20, Psalm 103:13, Proverbs 14:26, Psalm 25:14).

Ask God to stir in us a hunger and desire to be with Him; to seek first His Kingdom and believe fully that everything else will follow. Ask for interest to become hunger and hunger to become desperation, that God would release Himself in ways we desperately need Him.

Ready the Body for Greater Anointing

Thank God for His generosity (Proverbs 3:9-10, James 1:5&17). He is a giver of good (Luke 11:13) and perfect gifts (James 1:17). The Holy Spirit is a promised and needed gift!

After Saul encountered Jesus in Acts 9, he fasted, prayed, saw a vision, was healed, and was filled with the Holy Spirit. All of this was necessary for his testimony and ministry. Let’s ask God to open our hearts and eyes to any work He wants to do in us before He sends us into the works we are to walk in (Ephesians 2:10).

Ask God to pour out the anointing necessary for obedience and faithfulness throughout the Body, that every person of every age will experience the supernatural power of God as they walk in obedience and faithfulness to His Word and his gifts (Deuteronomy 5:33).

Ask God to reveal people with every spiritual gift and sphere of influence that every man may walk in greater maturity and unity mentoring and developing one another as the family of God increases (Ephesians 4:11-16).

Economic Recovery

Let’s ask God to restore what COVID has stolen in our city- that jobs, finances and industries would be provided to regain a healthy city. As we ask for increase, we must also ask God to guard us against greed, deceit, pride and empty prosperity. Let’s ask God to rebuild our economy in a way that honors God and opens doors that increase His Kingdom in Athens. Ask God to strengthen relationships between industries, heal wounds from competition, and satisfy the faint and refresh the weary in our local economy (Jeremiah 31:23-25).

Pray specifically for those who have suffered and struggled to pay bills and feed their families- ask that God would show Himself as a provider and as our ever present help in time of trouble (Psalm 46:1). Ask God to use what the enemy meant for evil to instill contentment, compassion, generosity, humility, and gratitude like we haven’t seen in our city.

Our Children

“But the Lord says, ‘The captives of warriors will be released, and the plunder of tyrants will be retrieved. For I will fight those who fight you, and I will save your children.’” Isaiah 49:25 (NLT)

“When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’ Luke 15:17-19 (NLT)

“He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.” Malachi 4:6 (NIV)

As we are praying for God to prepare our hearts and homes for Him, let’s cry out for God to move among our children. Whether they are in the next room, or on the other side of the world, ask God to be stirring, shaking and revealing Himself to them!

His promise is to fight on behalf of those who love Him and He will save our children. Remind Him of this promise and ask Him to do it now. Ask God to reveal Himself to any prodigal children you may have, or know of. Ask Him to prepare them for what He is about to do. Cry out that they would not miss out on it!!! Ask God to cause things in their world to draw their attention to Him and to their home. Ask God to also move among the kids in homes right now where they are not loved and cherished but are abused and used. Ask God to turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children and the children back to their fathers!

Also, pray that toddlers through teenagers would experience this outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and become vehicles of awakening in their circles! Ask God to prepare your kids and all the children you know to receive His blessing, and to become vessels for His glory!

Realize that your sin impacts your children, as has your parents (and their parents…) sin has impacted you! Confess your sin. Break the sinful patterns. Confess generational sin, things that have been passed on to you from your parents. Proclaim them broken off of your children!

Expectantly Waiting

Like a pregnant woman cannot rush the life promised within her, God will not rush revival. If it comes before its time it, will not be sustained. We do not know the day or the hour, but we do know that God is found when He is sought wholeheartedly. Ask God to grant us the grace to wait in faith (Psalm 46:10, Luke 18:1,7-8, 2 Peter 3:9).

“When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:8

Thanksgiving

As you wrap up your time, please be sure to thank God for hearing and answering your prayers with awesome deeds (Psalm 65:5 NLT). Feel free to continue to pray these topics throughout this new season! Thank you for investing in prayer at such a time as this! It really does make a difference! Thank Him for what He is going to do on Pentecost and beyond in this new era! As you step into Pentecost be listening to what the Spirit is saying to the Church. Be expectant and obedient!!!

“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly…” Acts 2:1-2a (NIV)

There is much chatter among the prophetically discerning about something significant coming. This whole world pandemic and economic chaos has definitely got our attention. That which can be shaken is definitely being shaken (Hebrews 12:26-31). The Passover this past month was historic. As far as I know, it was the first time since the Exodus story that the Jews were “locked down” inside their homes. Since then, much prayer has been going on during these days between Passover and Pentecost. So, from now until Pentecost, which is on May 31, we are asking praying folks to ramp it up! Be crying out for God to prepare us for whatever is coming. Ask Him to reveal idols, both inside your house and inside your heart. Consider reading through the Book of Revelation, especially noting and meditating upon the Lamb of God.

Here are some great opportunities to be praying with and/or for others, as we prepare our hearts, our homes and our city for King Jesus. But whether you join us or not, please do whatever you need to do to be ready!!!

National Day of Prayer
Thursday, May 7 / 7:30am to 10pmAcross Athens and beyond

The theme this year is “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Haggai 2:14 NIV). Throughout the day there will be a different prayer focus every hour, with two local zoom prayer gatherings and a virtual national prayer gathering. For more details and the hourly prayer guide please check out…https://acmin.org/2020-national-day-of-prayer/

The Student Pastors will continue to meet on the first Thursday of the month. In May, once again we will be doing it via Zoom! Student Pastors across Athens have had to be very creative in reaching out to their students who have been “sheltered in place.” Please join us from wherever you are and be praying for all those who minister to the youth of our city, starting with the ones at your church. Pray that God would prepare them for Pentecost. Pray that God would protect these Students Pastors, their teams and grant them creativity and wisdom as they stay connected with their students and stir them toward Jesus and living missional lives! Pray for all the students in our city as well, that this unprecedented moment in history would be the catalyst for revival in them, in our city and specifically among our Middle and High School students.

Athens Intercessors will be preparing the way for this year’s Pentecost with a 24-hour prayer watch. Intercessors will be leading TWO hour slots, inviting others to join them. Please feel free to join in from wherever you are during this 24 hour period. We’re crying out for God to prepare us personally, the Church and our city for what He is about to do. There will be a prayer guide available. More details soon!

Pastors Prayer
Wednesday, May 13 / 9 to 10amVia Zoom

Our pastors are still meeting (via Zoom), sharing ideas, sharing what God is showing them and praying for each other. Please use this opportunity to pray for the pastors in our city, beginning with your own! Pray that God would give them extraordinary wisdom, creativity and boldness as they lead their congregations through this challenging time, through to reopening and re-establishing “church” in this new era. Pray that God would empower them to lead well, and for your church to be an instrument of life and help to the community. Ask God to guard and even deepen the unity He has been establishing over the past 10 years in our city. In the midst of all the weight that is currently on them, ask God to abundantly bless, refresh, encourage, protect and provide for your pastor, their marriage and their family. Ask God to meet each of these lead shepherds across Athens right where they are, and give them all that it takes to stay connected to God and run strongly throughout this battle. Ask God to use these pastors as a voice in our city! Pray that God would prepare them for Pentecost.

Our monthly M.E./Israel prayer meeting is being moved this month to coincide with the “Night of Power”, on May 19th, 2020. In the Islam tradition, the “Night of Power” is considered the most appropriate time of the entire year to pray for salvation and blessings. It is believed that a Muslim’s past sins are forgiven if the person prays throughout this night. It is also believed that this night marks their fate in the following year. Let’s gather together (remotely of course) to pray for our Muslim friends, as they sincerely seek God’s face and forgiveness!

Groups Pastors Prayer
Wednesday, May 20 / 9:30 to 10:30amVia Zoom

Groups that connect people are needed more than ever. New forms of Zoom groups have been established. In this time of prolonged social distancing, God is leading the Groups Pastors to create new, effective ways to stay connected. We will continue our monthly Groups Pastor in May via Zoom. Please pray for those who lead the groups ministries in our city, especially as what they did before is not viable during this crisis. They need wisdom and creativity. Pray that God would prepare them for Pentecost. Pray for the groups’ leaders to lead well in these new formats, and not to be intimidated by online groups. We’re all rookies at this. May God give each of these leaders a grace to rise up for the occasion. Pray for people in the groups to be willing to dive into the new formats, to share their lives and be open to grow. Pray that God would raise up more group leaders for the next emerging season as we come out of our period of social distancing. Ask God to protect and expand this vital ministry in our city. Ask Him for heaven to come down upon every group that meets in Jesus’ Name in Athens!

Executive Pastors Prayer
Thursday, May 21 / 9 to 10amVia Zoom

This month, the leaders who “run” churches across Athens will still be coming together via Zoom. We’ll continue to share and pray for and with each other. These leaders are making decisions in an arena no one has ever walked in before. Please pray for the executive / administrative pastor (or those who do that role) in your church and the others who carry this load in the churches across our city. They need wisdom, creativity and faith. This is such a crucial ministry at such an important time as this! Cry out for God to release heaven over their lives! Pray that God would give them supernatural joy and peace as they keep the systems operating and create new ones for Kingdom growth in Athens. Pray that God would increase His presence and favor in their lives and homes. Pray that God would give them what they need as the Church emerges in this next season. Pray that God would prepare them for Pentecost.

Pastors from around Athens will converge in person at Cornerstone to continue our discussion and prayer on opening up the church in Athens. Join us in praying for the pastors to be filled with grace and wisdom as they step through Pentecost 2020 into this new era for the church and life in our post Covid19 world!

We are calling for a citywide prayer watch on the eve of Pentecost. As we will have been praying all month for God to prepare us individually, as well as for our churches for an outpouring upon our city. There is an opportunity to sign up for ONE HOUR slots during this period. There will be a prayer guide to help focus the prayers, as well as regular updates and prayer videos on the APN Facebook page. Please don’t miss out on this opportunity to prepare the way for our King. For more info or to sign up for one or more slots please go to https://www.slottr.com/sheets/18251114. So mark your calendar, save the date and promote it among your church and prayer partners!!!

Please try to log in at 7:55am to announce your city and county. If you miss the live call you can still hear it by dialing 425-436-6309 (same access code).

Athens Daily Prayer Texts
OngoingAll across Athens area

Every morning at 8am Daily Prayer Texts are delivered to cell phones across Athens and beyond. They are also posted each day at noon on the APN Facebook page. If you would like to receive these prayer focuses each day, please text @athenspray to 81010. This is a simply amazing way to start your day and to stand in unified, and focused prayer with others from across our city for our city!

For more (and up to date) stuff…
Every day we post something on the APN Facebook page. Usually it is more than once. These posts include prayer opportunities, prayer points, prayer inspirations and the Daily Prayer Text. It is definitely worth checking out daily to help stay connected with what God is doing in our city, especially in such a time as this!

“And if you believe, you will receive whatever you ask in prayer.”Matthew 21:22 (CSB)

We have never been here before. Life over the past few weeks has been quite surreal. This is a real test, not the kind you would hear when the siren goes off to test the lightning or tornado warning system. It is a test for the Church, an opportunity to see what we really believe. This is the time for the Church to shine brightly. It is the time for the Church to lead well. It is the time for the Church to believe that Jesus meant what He said. We are not meant to pray out of fear or panic or wishful thinking. Jesus said, if you ask AND BELIEVE, you will receive. I believe this is the time for believing, agreeing, focused prayer, resulting in awesome deeds (Psalm 65:5 NLT). This is a time for perhaps the greatest victories for the kingdom of God in this generation. And we have the opportunity to be a part of it. Do not sit this one out because of fear. Please do not simply believe that God wants you to merely survive this coronavirus pandemic and economic crisis. He wants us to arise and shine for His glory. He wants us to thrive, to realign ourselves with His purposes. He wants us to believe and cry out for the Kingdom of God to come in our city and nation and to watch Him do it!!!

Here are some great opportunities to be praying with and/or for others, in such a time as this in Athens.

Student Pastors Prayer
Thursday, April 2 / 9 to 10amVia Zoom

The Student Pastors will continue to meet on the first Thursday of the month. In April we will be doing it via Zoom! These Student Pastors have had to be very creative in reaching out to their students who are now in “shelter in place.” Please join us from wherever you are and be praying for all those who minister to the youth of our city, starting with the ones at your church. Pray that God would protect these Students Pastors, their teams and grant them wisdom and creativity as they stay in touch with their students and stir them toward Jesus and living missional lives! Please pray for all the students in our city as well, that this unprecedented moment in history would be the catalyst for revival in our city and specifically among our Middle and High School students.

We have felt it wise to cancel the “driving prayer” portion of our Palm Sunday event. This week Governor Kemp declared a statewide stay at home mandate. So instead of going out, we are asking folks to pray from wherever they are on Sunday from 7 to 8pm. Please feel free to use this guide to help focus and unite the prayers.

We believe it is a turning point, not just for this plague called the coronavirus and the economic chaos it has caused, but for the way Church is done. As such we are calling followers of Jesus Christ in Athens to a pre-Passover, 25 hours of prayer and fasting. It will start before sunset on Tuesday, April 7 and conclude at sunset on Wednesday, April 8 (ushering in Passover). The 25th hour will be dedicated to praise God for what He is about to do!!! More details coming soon but please be asking God what part you are to play in this. I believe this is a VERY IMPORTANT moment for us to be pressing into God on behalf of our city and nation!!! If you have a moment read about the Passover in Exodus 11-12. A prayer guide will be available at https://athensprayernetwork.com/pre-passover-prayer-fasting-guide/

Pastors Prayer
Wednesday, April 8 / 9 to 10amVia Zoom

Our pastors are still meeting, sharing ideas, sharing what God is showing them and praying for each other. This Pastors Prayer will be via Zoom. Please use this opportunity to pray for the pastors in our city, beginning with your own! Pray that God would give them extraordinary wisdom, creativity and boldness as they lead their congregations through this challenging time. Pray that God would empower them to lead well, and for your church to be an instrument of life and help to the community. Ask God to guard and even deepen the unity He has been establishing over the past 10 years. Ask God to abundantly bless, refresh, encourage, protect and provide for your pastor, their marriage and their family. Ask God to meet each of these lead shepherds across Athens right where they are, and give them all that it takes to stay connected to God and run strongly in this battle called coronavirus. Ask God to use these pastors as a voice in our city!

Athens Intercessors Community
Monday, April 13 / 7 to 9pmVia Zoom

Athens Intercessors Community will continue to meet up via Zoom during this “shelter in place” season. This is an important time for intercessors to stay connected, to share what we are hearing the Spirit say to the Church and to pray together. Though this is our only scheduled Intercessors Community meeting in April, we will most likely have more. Please pray for the intercessors in Athens, for God to protect them, lead them, speak to them and pour out the faith and courage to obey Him during this vital time of warfare for our city and nation!

Groups Pastors PrayerWednesday, April 15 / 9:30 to 10:30amVia Zoom

New forms of Groups are being established and the Groups ministry is even more vital than it has ever been before. In this time of social distancing, God is leading the Groups Pastors to create new, effective ways to stay connected. We will continue our monthly Groups Pastor in April via Zoom. Please pray for those who lead the groups ministries in our city, especially as what they did before is not viable in this crisis. They need wisdom and creativity. Pray for the groups’ leaders to lead well in these new formats, and not to be intimidated by online groups. We’re all rookies at this. May God give each of these leaders a grace to rise up for the occasion. Pray for people in the groups to be willing to dive into the new formats, to share their lives and be open to grow. Pray that God would raise up more group leaders for the next season as we coming out of our period of social distancing. Ask God to protect and expand this vital ministry in our city. Ask Him for heaven to come down upon every group that meets in Jesus’ Name in Athens!

Executive Pastors Prayer
Thursday, April 16 / 9 to 10amVia Zoom

The leaders who “run” churches across Athens will still be coming together this month, via Zoom. We’ll continue to share and pray for and with each other. These leaders are making decisions in an arena no one has ever walked in before. Please pray for the executive / administrative pastor (or those who do that role) in your church and the others who carry this load in the churches across our city. They need wisdom, creativity and faith. This is such a crucial ministry and such an important time as this! Cry out for God to release heaven over their lives! Pray that God would give them supernatural joy as they keep the systems operating and set up new ones for Kingdom growth in Athens. Pray that God would increase His presence and favor in their lives and homes. Pray that God would give them what they need as the Church emerges in this next season.

Prayer for the Middle East & Israel
Friday, April 24 / noonVia Zoom

This opportunity to join in with others, praying together for important issues in the Middle East will continue this month via Zoom. This is an extraordinary time to be praying for the Coronavirus to be broken off the Middle East. There are usually specific reports from folks on the ground in the Middle East that help focus prayer with direct laser accuracy. If you cannot join this Zoom meeting, please take time during this day to pray for the Middle East.
Meeting ID: 71729155770Password: 2AU76g

Ongoing and inspirational…

Campus Ministries Directors PrayerMondays, April 6, ? / 4pmVia Zoom

The Campus Ministry Directors have been scrambling over the past several weeks. The students went off to Spring Break and never returned. We are still coming together via Zoom to hear how they are doing, what’s working in staying connected to their students and to pray together. PLEASE pray for those who lead these ministries at UGA.

Please try to log in at 7:55am to announce your city and county. If you miss the live call you can still hear it by dialing 425-436-6309 (same access code).

Athens Daily Prayer Texts
OngoingAll across Athens area

Every morning at 8am Daily Prayer Texts are delivered to cell phones across Athens and beyond. They are also posted each day at noon on the APN Facebook page. If you would like to receive these prayer focuses each day, please text @athenspray to 81010. This is a simply amazing way to start your day and to stand in unified, and focused prayer with others from across our city for our city!

For more (and up to date) stuff…
Every day we post something on the APN Facebook page. Usually it is more than once. These posts include prayer opportunities, prayer points, prayer inspirations and the Daily Prayer Text. It is definitely worth checking out daily to help stay connected with what God is doing in our city, especially in such a time as this!

We have felt it wise to cancel the “driving prayer” portion of our Palm Sunday event. This week Governor Kemp declared a statewide stay at home mandate. So instead of going out, we are asking folks to pray from wherever they are on Sunday from 7 to 8pm. Please feel free to use this guide to help focus and unite the prayers.

Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you in praying, even proclaiming God’s truth, His promises and His kingdom. Use this guide as a launch pad. Allow Him to draw your attention to what you are to pray about. Cry out for every wall to come down.

Pray for the government!“I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority…” 1 Timothy 2:1-2 (NLT)

The Apostle Paul urges us to pray for all those in authority. This is an important moment to do just that. Instead of criticizing, complaining about, slandering and/or cursing Donald Trump and his administration, we are urged to pray, intercede and thank God for them! This word “urge” implies importance. It’s not just a good idea. It is absolutely vital that we obey it! So, perhaps the first place you need to start is to repent of any bad words or attitudes you may have had regarding President Trump. Now you can pray for him.

Pray for President Trump, VP Pence and their administration, including the coronavirus task force. Pray for our Georgia Governor (Brian Kemp), our Athens Mayor (Kelly Girtz) and the council members as they respond to the needs in our state and city. Pray for all those working to end the virus spread. Ask God to protect them and their families. Ask God to grant them wisdom from above to find new breakthroughs and answers for treatment, vaccines, economy and systems as we head forward. Pray that our leaders both local and national, would bend their knee to Jesus, crying out for His deliverance. Pray for the Police Chief Spruill and Sheriff Ira Edwards.

Pray for those affected by the coronavirus and its impact!“The prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up….” James 5:15 (NIV)

Many people are being impacted by the coronavirus. Business owners, employees, educators, and probably every person in our nation are touched by this virus and the work to stop it. Doctors, nurses and all health care people are overwhelmed. Hospitals don’t have enough beds, masks or respirators. This is a hard time! But the prayer of faith can move mountains (Matthew 17:20).

Pray for those afflicted by the coronavirus, for those who are sick (especially those in the hospital), for those who are in quarantine, for those who are fearful and anxious, for those who are financially impacted, for those parents who are at home from work with their children, for the first responders, those who work in hospitals or senior centers. Whoever you know personally, please pray for them by name! Cry out for the God of mercy to move upon all of them with compassion and grace! “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, that we may receive mercy and grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:16 (NIV)

Pray for revival in Athens!“LORD, I have heard of Your fame; I stand in awe of Your deeds, O LORD. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known.” Habakkuk 3:2 (NIV)

One version says, “in our time of deep need, help us as did in years gone by” (NLT). So many prayers over so many years have been lifted up to God for revival in Athens. Many prophetic promises have been received about a coming move of God here. Could this be the moment for Him to move with power and change the spiritual climate over our city and nation forever?

Ask God to use the coronavirus as a catalyst for revival, awakening and transformation in Athens, across our nation and world! Thank the Lord for taking what the enemy means for evil and turning it into good. Pray for a new level of unity to emerge between neighbors, churches, and even within our local and national government. Pray for the pastors in Athens and church ministries in this new season – for wisdom, creativity, boldness and expansion into new territories. Ask God to do miracles as people help one another and work together to bring comfort and healing in our city and nation. Ask God to do awesomely as His people pray over these coming weeks (Psalm 65:5a NLT).

May the Lord richly bless you for investing this time in prayer! Thank you!!!

“At times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or command grasshoppers to devour your crops, or send plagues among you. Then if my people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.”2 Chronicles 7:13-14 (NLT)

Sadly, we have grown desensitized to the above passage. In recent days it has been used again and again as themes for conferences, sermons and events. But it is exactly what we need now, at such a time as this. Verse 13, which provides the context, is often neglected when we quote 1 Chronicles 7:14, which says that when God sends plagues… Yikes, so whether we say God sent this Coronavirus plague or not, He is still sovereign and He is able to use it for His purposes. He can and does use such moments as this as a warning or wake up call, or even as a judgement. Many believe that we are at a crossroads. What “we” do next matters. By we, I mean His people, who are called by His name. If we respond, we can turn this around. In fact, we are truly the only ones who can turn it around. If we don’t engage, if we don’t rise up as His holy priesthood, who else can come into His presence on behalf of our city, nation and world? If we don’t respond in prayer, the outcome is bleak! As His child, throw yourself down at His feet and cry out for mercy!

Please use this prayer guide as a launch pad to go wherever the Holy Spirit would have you pray. I understand that there is more prayer fuel here than you could possibly burn in an hour, so invite the Holy Spirit to speak to you and through you, to partner with you and to lead you during this season of Pre-Passover prayer. Whether you are praying for 15 minutes or without ceasing over this 25-hour period, allow the Spirit to reveal things in you and even re-align your heart with His purposes for this generation. We are not simply praying for “them” but for us as His people. And that starts with you, personally!

From Tuesday at 6pm through till Wednesday at 6pm join us in prayer and fasting for God to intervene. Then during our 25th hour, join us in proclaiming that we have been heard and that God is about to move.

As you pray your way through this guide, don’t get stuck or distracted. Probably the main section to focus on is repentance. All the rest builds on that.

Acknowledge God

Take some time to focus your attention on Him. He says to you: In the midst of all this coronavirus stuff, choose to be still and know I am God. Proclaim He is your God and that you completely put your trust in Him and in Him alone! Acknowledge that He is sovereign, that He is holy, that He is good, that He is wise, that He is faithful… Fix your eyes on Him as you begin this prayer quest. Choose to have a holy fear of Him instead of the coronavirus or the loss of income, or whatever else may plague you.

Take some time to thank Him that you are not alone. You are a part of the family of God. You are a part of a people who can enter into His presence and make bold requests. Though He is the King of Kings, Ruler of everything, you can enter in through the blood of Jesus as a redeemed child of God. Thank Him for this truth! Thank Him for adopting you into His family, not because of what you did or would do, but because of His great grace. Thank Him for your brothers and sisters in Christ. Thank Him for your church, and for the church in our city. Speak this out loud. Today as you pray, your voice is one of many who are crying out to the One on the Throne of Grace. Praise Him for allowing you to be a part of this historic moment!

Scriptures: Ephesians 3:12, 1 John 5:14

Humble yourself

Take some time to contemplate and confess pride in your own life. We are told that God opposes pride, He hates it. Pride repulses Him, it repels Him. Pride says

“I don’t need you.” Pride says “I can figure this out on my own.” Pride is at the heart of rebellion. And God says rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft! Tell God how desperate you are for Him, not just for His rescue, but for His presence. Proclaim your absolute trust in Him over your own understanding of things. Admit to God that you can do nothing without Him. Confess your sins, both known and hidden. Tell God you will obey Him no matter what He says or where He leads.

Scriptures: 1 Samuel 15:23, Psalm 51:17, James 4:6&10, John 15:5

Pray

Take some time to pray about the things that are resonating in your heart right now. While you’re at it, ask God to meet every person who is fasting and praying during these 25 hours; to lead them, to bless them, to hear and respond to them! Ask God to stir up a powerful nonstop prayer movement in Athens, to awaken prayer in every church in our city. Ask God to release a new level of intercession in you and across Athens. Now begin crying out for God to move and change these issues. This may be a little more intense than you usually pray, but please do not be afraid to fight in this battle. Come in the authority and power of the Name of Jesus Christ.

Let the Holy Spirit stir, unpack and lead you through the following bullet points.

Ask God to break curses and release blessings over our city and nation

Demolish strongholds, arguments, lies, deception, which includes the leftist agenda.

Expose rebellion and witchcraft!

Expose fake news, fake journalists, fake narrative, and fake history.

For pastors to lead without fear of men.

For there to be a realignment to God’s ways, will and purposes, starting in your church, the churches in our city and across our nation.

For God to expose false unity. Are we keeping peace with compromise or are we making peace with speaking the truth in love? Ask God to lead us to true unity that is raw, authentic and life giving.

Now pray the blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God over your house, your neighborhoods house, and all the way to the White House.

Instead of criticizing, complaining about or cursing President Trump, pray for him!

Pray for Trump, Pence and those around them to be filled with heavenly wisdom that confounds the wisdom of the world.

Pray that the accusers be silenced and exposed for what they are.

Pray for discernment regarding the voices they should listen to.

Pray for Trump to completely and radically surrender to Christ.

Now pray for God to stop this plague called the Coronavirus.

Ask God to bind up the spirits that are operating to cause destruction and chaos in our world, and are driving this pandemic and wave of fear across the globe.

Ask God to turn this evil into good, for His kingdom, for His glory.

Ask Him to set the stage for what’s to come and that His church would be prepared for it!

Pray that the captives would be released and the Egyptians would be plundered.

Now please pray for those on the front line dealing with the Coronavirus and are being directly impacted by this crisis

Ask God to provide for those who have lost their businesses, their jobs and their hope.

Ask God to bring hope to the hopeless, and peace to the anxious/fearful. Ask Him to bring comfort to those who have lost family or friends because of this crisis.

Now pray for the Church to rise up.

Pray that the Church would have eyes to see the big thing that God is doing not just the crisis.

Pray for your pastor, and the pastors in our city.

Pray for your church’s alignment, and that every and anything that is not of God would be exposed and removed!

Pray for revival of both God’s power and His truth! Ask for miracles to accompany the preaching of the word of God!

Pray for boldness to be released among Christ followers.

Pray for intercessors to mature and rise into a new level of ministry.

Pray for prayer to become a top priority of your church.

Pray for new models of disciple making.

Pray for new strategies and models on how to do church, post-pandemic.

Pray for awakening and transformation of the spiritual fiber of our city and nation.

Ask God to raise up a generation under the Billy Graham mantle.

Ask God to prepare His people for the persecution that is coming. That we would come out from the ways of the world and look, live and behave differently. That the church would become radiant and look like Jesus!

Take a few moments right now and seek God’s face. In times like this, when the world seems to be crashing in, it is easy to seek God’s hand to rescue. But what God is saying, “Seek My face!” He says that if we seek Him with our whole heart He will be found. God has provided you a season of separation from normal social activities to seek Him. Please don’t waste it worrying or filling your time with the world (i.e. Netflix), or with fake news.

Tell God that you’re sorry for seeking His hand more than His face. Ask God to stir within you a passionate desire for Him. Ask Him to do the same across our city and nation. Ask Him to raise up a people who will seek His face and follow Him wherever He leads. His greatest desire for you and His people is to love Him with all our hearts, minds, soul and strength.

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:13, Matthew 6:33-34, 22:35-40, Hebrews 11:6

Repent

Now, please allow the Lord to lead you through this time of “bone deep” repentance. Many people have a problem with Identificational Repentance – that is repenting for things we personally did not do, though we are guilty by association, or by relationship. Daniel prayed “forgive us for we have sinned.” It is very unlikely that Daniel had sinned this way, but he personally associated himself with the sins of his people. As you take these moments to repent, understand it is both personal and corporate. I believe this is the most important part of our fasting and praying today. Our nation has turned its back on God, and if there is not a repentance, starting in the Church, that is a turning back to Him, we are heading down a slippery slope. Your repentance releases God’s grace to work in these areas.

That the Church has been embarrassed to live wholeheartedly for God, that we have allowed the ways of the world to slip into the way we do Church.

For losing our first love of Jesus.

For not honoring the whole word of God.

For allowing the religious spirit and its religious system to intimidate us and keep us under the law, instead of being free to operate in the Spirit and grace.

For fearing men more than we fear God. We are afraid to speak the truth because we might offend people or lose “donors” or our “tax exempt” status.

Though we are probably the most blessed nation on the planet, we are also the most ungrateful. We have raised a generation who feel entitled, rebel against authority, who hate America, who are deceived by the lies of media and education.

That we have tolerated abortion. We have been silent and have allowed our nation to murder millions of innocent lives. That blood is on our hands! We have allowed the sacrifice of Moloch to continue.

For confusion of gender, and our silence over it!

For confusion over marriage between men and women.

For pornography and its grip even in the church!

For prostitution and child sex trafficking.

For speaking evil of our leaders. When we criticize and complain against our leaders, whether spiritual or governmental, we are actually standing with the accuser of the brothers!

God said that if we, His people, would do this…, He’d hear, forgive and heal our land! In this last hour we are going to celebrate that He has heard us, He has forgiven us and He is healing our land!!!

“Thank You, Heavenly Father, for doing exceedingly abundant beyond what we could ever ask or imagine!!!”

Just because we may not see the answer in the physical right this second, it is here! Daniel prayed and though the answer was released when he first asked, it did not arrive until 21 days later. We have sown into the Spirit and now we will reap a spiritual harvest. Jesus cursed a fig tree and on the surface nothing appeared to happen, but the next morning it was withered up, from the roots outward. God applied the poison to the sinful roots in the church and our nation. Over the weeks to come, we will see the answers.

During this hour turn up the worship. Go out on your front porch or back deck and shout victory is the Lord’s! Anoint the door posts of your home with oil. And proclaim the blood of Jesus over your house.

Play this beautifully, powerful song loudly. Open the doors and let the sound out into your neighborhood. The Blessing with Kari Jobe & Cody Carnes – Live from Elevation… https://youtu.be/Zp6aygmvzM4

Other Songs: The Blessing (Elevation), Do It Again (Elevation), Goodness of God (Bethel), Never Lost (Bethel), See the Victory (Elevation), Way Maker (Leeland), Another in the Fire (Hillsong United), Raise a Hallelujah (Bethel), Good Grace (Hillsong United)

Looking forward

Once the Israelites came out the Egypt, God needed to get Egypt out of His people. Over the coming weeks and months, God is calling us to climb the holy hill into a deeper relationship with Him. Business won’t be as usual for a while. In the meantime, keep asking God to take us into a whole new level of holiness and humility. Ask God to inspire a new model of church. Ask Him for bolder preaching of the whole word of God. Ask Him for pastors and leaders to fear God more than men. The next several months will be a challenge, as we emerge into a new world. Please do not step back into old fleshly ways. Ask the Lord to establish a new, healthy and holy rhythm in your life! Ask Him for courage to live passionately and wholeheartedly after Jesus, no matter what it costs you. Invite God to get the world out of you!

Like Daniel, keep praying until the answer that He has released arrives. Thanks for joining us in praying!!!

May God bless you and your home this Passover!

Scriptures: Daniel 10:12-13, Psalm 24:3-6, 27:4, 139:23-24

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We are calling Athens to a citywide day of prayer and fasting on Wednesday, March 18. We are in uncharted waters as we journey through this Coronavirus pandemic. The Church has an opportunity to respond in faith and love. One thing we can do that no one else can, is to approach our Father in heaven and ask Him to move. As such, we are asking people to give up a meal or more on Wednesday and take time to pray through the guide below. Use this guide as a launch pad for where the Spirit would lead you. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you pray as you ought to (Romans 8:26-27). Feel free to open your Bible to the references and soak in them as you pray! Your prayers in such a time as this will make a huge difference!!!

“A scared world needs a fearless church.”
AW Tozer

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In Psalm 91 we are told that those who dwell in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. As you start praying thank Him for His protection and proclaim that the Lord Almighty is your refuge and your fortress, that He is your God, in whom you trust! Proclaim that His word says He will save you from every trap of the enemy and from the deadly disease. His faithfulness is your shield, proclaim that you take refuge under it.

In Psalm 46 we see that God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in our time of need. Proclaim that though the earth gives way, or the mountain falls into the sea or the ground quakes, you will not fear because your hope is in Him. This is the passage that reminds us to “be still and know I am God” (v10). Take a few moments and fix your eyes on the One who is sovereign and faithful!

Be thankful
Just as 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says that we’re to be thankful in all things, in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for us, take some time and thank the Lord for this opportunity. Yes, though God is not the cause of the Coronavirus, He is in the midst of it, and will bring good out of it (Romans 8:28). Psalm 136:1 says that we are to “Give thanks to the LORD for He is good, His love endures forever.” Yes, God is good, ALWAYS! So as you pray, think on all the things you can praise and thank God for (Philippians 4:8-9).

Trust the Lord
Jesus said terrible times will come, with persecution, earthquakes, famine, pestilences, wars… but we are to not be frightened (Luke 21:9). We are called to watch and pray (Luke 21:36), trusting the Lord through it all. Pray for God to grant you a grace to trust Him through this ordeal (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Confess your sins
We are told in 2 Chronicles 7:14 that if we humble ourselves, pray, seek His face and repent, He will hear our prayer, forgive our sins and heal our land! Ask God for a grace over His people to respond to this crisis. Humble yourself before the Lord and He will life you up (James 3:10). Let Him show you any place of fear and anxiety in you, then confess it before Him. Ask Him to do the same in your church and across our city! While you’re at it, ask God to expose other hidden sins in His Body, and that includes you.

Ask for peace
Ask Him to grant you the grace to be at peace. Philippians 4:6-7 says we are to not be anxious about anything (which includes the coronavirus) but instead pray with thanksgiving. The promised result of this is a peace that surpasses understanding. Peace is not the absence of problems but the presence of a person in the midst of those problems, and that person is Jesus Christ! Cast your anxiety before Him and let Him saturate you with His otherworldly peace (1 Peter 5:7). It is this peace you carry that others will see and ask about your faith (John 14:27). Isaiah 26:3 tells us that His perfect peace is found when we keep our mind steadfast on Jesus. Ask God to grant you the ability to keep your focus on Him through the coronavirus ordeal. Pray this for your church, its leaders and everyone a part of it, that they would keep their minds fixed on Jesus and ask God to release His peace as they do.

There is undoubtedly a spirit operating behind the coronavirus. The word corona can be defined as “crown.” The enemy is deceiving the world to bow in fear, anxiety, panic and terror before this dark power. By you putting on the peace of God that transcends all understanding, and praying for His peace for others, you are engaging in spiritual warfare. You are not bowing to this worldly demonic power but to Jesus Christ alone! Ask God to bring fear, anxiety, panic and terror under His feet. For it says in Romans 16:20 that, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.”

Pray for those affected
Pray for those afflicted by the coronavirus, for those who are sick, for those who are in quarantine, for those who are fearful and anxious, for those who will be financially impacted, for those parents that will need to stay home from work with their children, for the first responders, those who work in hospitals or senior centers … Ask God who else you need to pray for.

Pray for boldness in the church
Ask God for a boldness in His church to live and testify of their faith. Pray for your church and the churches in our city to rise up and shine for Jesus, to be His hands and feet in this time of need. During a plague that ravaged the Roman empire, the early church stood out because they loved and ministered to those who were sick from it, even when everyone else abandoned them. Ask God who you are supposed to love on during this unprecedented time. Ask God to show His people how to be intentional with His love!

Pray for your neighborhood
Pray for your neighbors, by name (if you know them). Ask God to use this season of fear, panic and unknown to reveal Himself to them, to stir questions of eternity, to shake their strongholds of disbelief and to draw them to Himself. Ask God to show you how to be a light to your neighbors, as well as how to practically love them in their time of need!

Pray for the government
We are told in 1 Timothy 2:1-2 to pray for all those in authority. This is an important moment to do just that. Pray for our president and his administration, including the coronavirus task force. Pray for our governor, mayor and the council members as they respond to the needs in our state and city. Pray for all those working to end the virus spread. Ask God to protect them and grant them wisdom from above to find new breakthroughs and answers. Pray that our leaders (local and national) would bend their knee to Jesus, crying out for His deliverance.

Pray for students
Though young people are not the main concern of fatal results of the coronavirus, they can still get sick, and possibly be asymptomatic carriers of the virus. As such, school and colleges have been closed. Pray for the students you know who are socially distanced right now, that God would meet them, reveal Himself to them, and that this time of social distancing would be a destiny moment that will change the trajectory of their lives as they choose to follow Jesus wholeheartedly!

We recently finished up PrayUGA, three weeks of prayer for every student at UGA. Each of these 38,000 students have been prayed for at least six times during those three weeks. Many are still being prayed for through the end of this semester. If you are still praying for your students, or have your list of students from PrayUGA, please saturate them in prayer right now. Many students are in self quarantine after going on cruises, mission trips or leaving the country for Spring Break. Pray that while classes are closed for at least the next two weeks God would be working in their hearts, revealing Himself to them through this isolation period. Pray for God to use this season to draw these students you’ve been praying for to Jesus. That in this time of pause, they would hear His call to them, they would see Him truthfully, that every lie and stronghold that has hindered them from coming to Him would be torn down and demolished. That they would see NOW in light of ETERNITY.

Recently we had The Mix, where some 2,500 Middle School & High School students from mostly the greater Athens area attended, and MANY made decisions for Christ. Please pray for these students, for their faith to grow, for those who haven’t made decisions yet to be drawn back to that place where they almost responded. Pray that God would use this as a catalyst for revival on every Middle and High School campus in our city!

Pray for families
Families are being dramatically impacted by the coronavirus. Pray for God’s peace to rest on the families across our city and nation. Pray for the families you know. Pray for parents as they need to care for their kids and keeping them distanced from others. Pray for God to release patience and creativity over parents and that many beautiful memories would be made. Ask God to use this to bring reconciliation in families!

Pray for your pastor
This is uncharted territory, and your pastor (and church leadership) need your prayer more than ever. Please pray that they would have wisdom, courage, grace, peace, etc., as they lead your congregation forward. Pray for protection over them and their families. Pray for creative solutions to stay in touch with (and shepherd) the congregation, even how to have and maintain online gatherings. Pray that God would meet them, refresh them and give them all that they need throughout this season. Pray that your church would come out of this crisis stronger than ever!

Pray for revival
Ask God to use the coronavirus as a catalyst for revival, awakening and transformation in Athens, across our nation and world! Thank the Lord for taking what the enemy means for evil and turning it into good. Pray for a new level of unity to emerge between neighbors, churches, and even within our local and national government. Ask God to do miracles as people help one another and work together to bring comfort and healing in our city and nation. Ask God to do awesomely as His people pray over these coming weeks.

Thank Him
As you wrap your time in prayer, please thank the Lord for hearing your prayers and answering them with awesomeness (Psalm 65:5 – NLT). Thank Him for who He is… always good, faithful, loving, kind, sovereign…